TimStannard wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:00 pm
I hope they didn't mark it down just because they didn't like it.
Whether we like a film or not shouldn't have anything to do with it (though I imagine we are all influenced by our likes and dislikes).
Comedy has the biggest problem here. If you don't like the humour, how can you possibly tell if the gags are delivered on the beat, behind the beat, in front of the beat etc.? It's a toughie.
Is your film being shown, Martin? I usually (don't want to say always as that sets it up for a fail) enjoy your humour and your delivery.
I can't speak for the other judges but I agree, personal taste should have precisely zero to do with it. But If we want people to judge BIAFF then we must also accept, with magnanimity, that their decision is final.
Meanwhile, The Litterator is being shown on Tuesday evening online. I hope it meets your approval. I was very pleased with the end result.
Last edited by Martin Evans on Sat Mar 23, 2024 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dear Michael, You still have the energy to do quite a lot of things physically at the age of 89. You are very lucky. I hope you will reach the age of 100, also because you are the best filmmaker in the world. And I am grateful for the things you did for me in 2007. We also have things in common. Our movies are always too long. But everything is so subjective.
Yes, I am very disappointed. Because of my health problems I even decided not to make films for competitions anymore. I hesitated to tell you the following thing: in February last year I was unconscious for half an hour. I had a light stroke. I was taken to hospital. I had had a tia. After a few days I was allowed to go back home. Ten years ago I already had big health problems. You know that. Actually, it's amazing that I am still alive. I crept through the eye of a needle. That's what my son-in-law said. He is a nurse and had a chat with the doctors. I stayed in a coma for a week. You know the story, don't you? Etc. etc...
But actually, all this is only a detail. What happened to my daughter is worse... I cannot tell you everything. She also has a problem with her health. But this is a private thing. I must keep it confidential. Now, I was almost sure that I would attend BIAFF. Hubertus won the audience vote at the Belgian Film Festival and the award for best storyline at the Flemish Festival. Yes, it is "only" the Belgian/and Flemish Festival... Ten years ago Belgium had two fantastic tennis players: Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters. They were much better than all the other tennis players in the world... It does not mean that Hubertus is the best movie in the world. Perhaps "Elise" is.
But, perhaps the best English judge that I know wrote about Hubertus: "I loved seeing your film. I can't get over that's it's a labour of love because it comes over as something made for and paid for by broadcast TV. Wonderful camerawork abounds-with so much isolating and pin-pointing differential focus used to perfection. Remarkable wildlife shots, interesting viewpoints, colour casts, close-ups and landscapes are thrust upon us in high abundance... The overall impression is of a masterful edit of an ambitious storyboard. Yes, this is the film's finest attribute in my view; the art of editing that invisibly amplifies the overall viewer's enjoyment..."
Michael, the length of my movie is 19min45seconds. I am sure it is not boring at all. But the BIAFF-judges said it is a fascinating movie, but that it might be better 3 minutes shorter. The English judge who didn't agree with it wrote: "For 3O years I've always claimed that any judge who says the film is too long has no right to be a judge. It's the sloppiest get-out line in any review. It might apply in a one minute competition, but apart from that it does not apply. Every film is exactly the right length, and why? Because that's what the filmmaker decided it should be!
Apart from this I can tell you that my best friend's son, William Higbee (pro memorie my email address is vanderlindenhig@...), who is professor film studies/French films at Exeter University read the narration for Hubertus, but first I had asked three other English friends to do this for me... Afterwards I felt very embarrassed that I had been so difficult for them. I chose William Higbee's voice. Luckily they reacted in a very gentle way. Up to now I have not informed William Higbee that "Hubertus" has not been not selected for the final. I am sure he and his parents will be surprised. Last week I celebrated the end of my career as a competitive filmmaker. There were 112 people. Among them 1O young friends of my actor. The atmosphere was fantastic. I am happy. Attending, BIAFF? Sorry, Michael, and also Vera is upset. I repeat: from Beerzel to Birmingham means bus, train to Brussels, eurostar to London, from Euston to Birmingham, taxi, staying at hotel. My wife even suggested to stay in London for two days before going to Birmingham. And if Werner Haegeman would have gone by air, we would have joined him. But Werner told me that he too would not be able to persuade his friend to accompany him. I will ask him of I am allowed to send his movie "Elise" to you.
A BIAFF judge recently told me that they must judge a film on a first viewing only.
I recall many great professional films of the past that had a poor response from
critics at the time of first presentation, but in later years were deemed to be
great classics after years of renewed viewing by the World's film goers.
BTW, if in reasonable health never let age put one off creating.
I shall soon be 91 and now working on 3 films at present.
Albert, you are another lucky man. I have never had a chat with you, but I know you are a VIP in the IAC. Last night I was in my club. My friends told me that attending funerals has become one of their weekly "duties". That's the hard reality. But of course there are also people who reach the age of 100 and more.
Sorry for the choice of my words, sometimes. The lady who enjoys improving my knowledge is not here.
In my previous message I forgot to tell you that because of Brexit Europeans are obliged to buy a passport. It costs about 75-80 euros per person. In the past we were allowed to enter Britain with our identity card. But it all means about 150 to 160 euros extra. Is attending BIAFF for the happy few? To be honest I already bought such a passport two years ago. I enjoyed Christmas time in the Garden of England and in London in 2022. After 5 years you have to buy a new passport. I can still go to Scotland with it in the summer period. Together with my friend I booked two rooms in a B&B at Callander which is not far from Stirling where I presented Belgian films for my SAM-friends a long time ago. Hopefully I will be in good health by that time. But back to BIAFF. Is it true that controls at the Customs will be very severe from April onwards? That's what I have read in the newspaper. The prospects are not brilliant.
Saying that judging films is subjective... that's cliché. Perhaps this language is mostly used by people who have not made any films. A good result is a form of appreciation. 2 stars means you could have done better. There are mistakes in your film, or even I didn't like it at all! You are disappointed ... 5 stars means you have made a masterpiece. You are happy. You are proud. But BIAFF is a lottery. This is even said by a lot of English IAC-friends. I share their opinion.
The English wellknown judge has also written in his critics: "Hubertus", the ever-changing people, buildings, towns, forests, animals, parades, awards, but most of all the humanity shown in the interviews. Your film is forever changing, keeping us watching, listening, learning. I can well see why you've been rewarded with success in other festivals." I think he would have given me 5. I hoped "Hubertus" would have been successful in England as well. It would have been pleasant to tell my ten students "English conversation" (ages from 60 to 83 now) that "Hubertus" got 5 at Birmngham. On 12th April my wife Vera and I will spend a day at our favourite seaside reasort Newport looking at the horizon, but also enjoying long walks. Good for my heath because I am sitting at my computer for hours and hours. I should stop replying to messages on the forum.
Albert Noble wrote: ↑Sat Mar 23, 2024 6:20 am
A BIAFF judge recently told me that they must judge a film on a first viewing only.
Indeed. The star rating has to be awarded based on a seven minute discussion. There is some logic to this - most people will decide how "good" they think a film is whilst watching it.
However, it also explains why sometimes the comments don't appear to reflect the score. The critiques are written at leisure with the film available for the writer to watch time an time again. It is not uncommon to discover much within afilm which is missed on first viewing.
Yet judges' comments are still expected to reflect the star rating. There is clearly potential for some conflict here - and no obvious solution other than having a set of comments base solely on the one viewing (and possibly another set - and a different award - based on deeper analysis)
[edited for typo]
Last edited by TimStannard on Sun Mar 24, 2024 5:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
To be fair ... most of us will only see a film once. If it does not achieve its aim in that screening, it has failed.
Of course there are a few which are worth a second screening. I have to subtitle the films we send to the UNICA Festival. That painstaking process often reveals subtleties I missed on first viewing.
In the commercial cinema world ... I am plucking up courage to watch OPPENHEIMER a second time. There was too much in it at first viewing. Having gradually watched all the two hours worth of extras (thanks for the tip Brian Saberton) a repeat viewing should be more meaningful.
I have always enjoyed making documentaries or eductional films. For BIAFF they needed to be subtitled, of course. That's a big disadvantage for foreigners. I can imagine that judges are tired after 7 or 8 movies and then they have to watch a subtitled film of 19 minutes, even with enough silent moments in it. And after 7 minutes they have to take a decision... There are very short dialogues in French and Dutch in "Hubertus". So, now I know why I missed 5 stars. But "Elise" a movie without any subtitles,... that's still a mystery. Some years ago I encouraged one of my clubmates to enter his movie because he had made a short film and it didn't need many subtitles. It won a diamond.
I was asked by Brian Dunckley and some years later by David Newman to be a judge at BIAFF. I was not able to do it. I will try to explain one of the reasons. Not long ago one of my English friends asked me to watch his wonderful film. My English is not so bad, but I missed the essence in his film, because it appeared there was one word I could not understand. I asked my English neighbour to see it. Also Vera had not understood the film. My neighbour translated it word by word. Then I was surprised that I had doubts about the meaning of a little word that I had missed. Perhaps it was because of the pronunciation. After the first viewing I would have given the film 5 stars. After the second viewing I gave it a diamond. Conclusion: do not ask foreigners speaking foreign languages to judge English films at festivals and ask foreigners to keep their films short and simple.
One of the forum-friends once said: I find your short films much better.
By the way, when I was in England the first time I visited Stoke Poges to see Thomas Gray's epitath and when I was in Ireland I read the most famous epitath in the world: "Cast a cold Eye on Life, on Death, Horseman pass by". Could you find a good epitath for me? Oh, no ... leave it! Or perhaps: "We wanted to get rid of him!"
My friend Werner Haegeman has sent a message to me with 'Good News'. His movie "Elise at the Seaside' (3 stars at BIAFF) has been selected for UNICA in Poland.
Many thanks for saying this, Dave. Good to hear that the UNICA-judges will not be baffled by unusual scenes. But "Elise" is just very entertaining. There is no reason to be baffled. I have heard that there will be three judges at Unica. I remember Zeist, Blankenberghe and Dortmund. There were more than three. I found the chat with the judges on the podium always very interesting.
This morning I talked to my English friend Brian Higbee who lives near Okehampton in Devon. We have known each other since 1979. "Maybe we'll be friends for life", he said. Part of his name Hig is in my email-address: vanderlindenhig... Maybe you remember my film "Until You Smile". About 45 years ago he spent his holidays in the Dordogne (France). He enjoyed staying in his tent together with his wife and his two boys Daniel (11) and William (9). But suddenly there was a big storm. He called me and they stayed with us for another 10 days. Time flies. Little William is now 50. I knew that he has become professor at Exeter University/Film Studies/French films...
I had asked three very sympathetic English friends with a soft deep voice to read the narration of "Hubertus". They admitted that the French words "Saint Hubert and "surtout" the name of the group "La Confrérie Internationale des Compagnons de Saint Hubert" in the narration would be (too) difficult to pronounce. One of them even called a hunter who lives on the border of Wales and England and who goes to Saint Hubert at least once a year. He wanted to be sure about the right pronunciation. My three English friends would have deserved excellent marks; 8 or even 9. I thought of offering them a beer at Birmingham. They are real gentlemen!
Eventually I decided to try with William Higbee's voice. A mistake? It had to be really perfect for BIAFF I thought. That was perhaps wrong of me. The text was recorded in the studio of Exeter University during the summer holidays last year. Result: I had to inform the three English friends and to apologize. I was very embarrassed, but they understood my problem as I wanted "Hubertus" to be successful and I wanted to attend BIAFF with a pleasant feeling: not necessarily havinf won a diamond. I already received a similar thing in 2001 and 2002. Brian, Cynth and William Higbee (remember: professor Film Studies who has written many books about filmmaking cfr the internet) said this morning: do not be worried about all this... You have made a fantastic film etc... etc... etc...
The day after tomorrow I will see Werner... He will record my voice for his film. I have chosen some sentences from novels by a famous Flemish author who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. I also suggested the location for his movie and contacted somone. I think his will be my role for the future. The film is almost finished and Werner has added his wonderful style to it. It has become an 90% Haegeman film. No one could have done it better!
I have also contacted Tim, tbe chairman of "Millenium", a filmclub 6 miles from my house. He is only 49 . I encouraged him to attend BIAFF. You can check this. He was successful with "Loss". Together with his 7 boys he was at the the celebration of my farewell party as competitive filmmaker.
Many thanks for saying this, Dave. Good to hear that the UNICA-judges will not be baffled by unusual scenes. But "Elise" is just very entertaining. There is no reason to be baffled. Only to be surprised. I have heard that there will be three judges at Unica. Is that right? I remember Zeist, Blankenberghe and Dortmund. There were more than three. I found the chat with the judges on the podium always very interesting.
This morning I talked to my English friend Brian Higbee who lives in Devon. We have known each other since 1979. "Maybe we'll be friends for life" he said the first day when we met. Part of his name Hig is in my email-address: vanderlindenhig... Maybe you remember my film "Until You Smile". About 45 years ago he spent his holidays in the Dordogne (France). He enjoyed staying in his tent together with his wife and his two sons Daniel (11) and William (9). But suddenly there was a heavy storm. He called me. They stayed with us for another 10 days. Time flies. Little William is now 50. I knew that in the mean time he has become professor at Exeter University/Film Studies/French films...
I had asked three very sympathetic English friends with a soft and deep voice to read the narration of "Hubertus". They told me that the pronunciation of the French words "Saint Hubert and "surtout" the name "La Confrérie Internationale des Compagnons de Saint Hubert" in the narration would be (too) difficult. One of them even called Christoffer. He is a hunter who lives on the border of Wales and England. He goes to Saint Hubert at least once a year. He wanted to be sure about the right pronunciation. My three English friends read the narration almost perfectly. They would have deserved 8 or even 9 our of 10. I thought of offering them a beer at Birmingham. They are real English gentlemen!
Eventually I still decided to try William Higbee's voice. Was this a mistake? It had to be really perfect for BIAFF I thought. That was perhaps wrong of me. And I tend to exaggerate. The text was recorded in the studio of Exeter University during the summer holidays last year. Result: I had to inform the three English friends. I apologized. I was very embarrassed, but they understood my problem. I wanted "Hubertus" to be successful and I hoped to attend BIAFF with a pleasant feeling: not necessarily having won a diamond. I already received a similar thing in 2001 and 2002. Brian, Cynth and William Higbee (remember: professor Film Studies who has written many books about filmmaking) said this morning: "Ignore what the judges have said about "Hubertus". Having seen it we thought: is he really going to stop?
The day after tomorrow I will see Werner... He will record my voice for his film. I have chosen some sentences from novels by a famous Flemish author who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Some time before I had given Werner a newspaper article about a special event and the location. Werner agreed to contact the organizer of the event. I think this will be my role for the future. The movie is almost finished and Werner has added his wonderful style to it. It has become a 90% Haegeman film. No one could have done it better!
I am also in touch with Tim. He is the chairman of "Millenium", a filmclub 6 miles from my house. He is only 49 . Long ago I encouraged him to enter one of his movies for BIAFF. He was successful with "Loss". Together with his 7 boys he was at the the celebration of my farewell party last month.
The 3 Star category incorporates a wide variation in quality which is why I mentioned in particular that a documentary about Northern Ireland was a “high end 3”. In fact I even wonder whether a 10 Star system of judging might be a good idea, ie. give films marks out of 10. This would basically mean that the current 3 star award would be the equivalent of 4, 5 or 6 stars in the new system, enabling more differentiation.
On the other hand, Jan often points out that it is much easier for judges to use just three categories.
If necessary each of those categories could be assessed by separate judges and split into 3.
That is more-or-less what happened in the past.
On one weekend judges would do the first level split: certificate of entry /blue and "better"
The second weekend different judges split the "better" group into silver and gold.
The third weekend the final judges looked at the gold ones to choose the top awards.
